96. The Report of the ad hoc Working Group on Problems Relative to Pesticide Residues in Food In Developing Countries was presented by its Chairperson, Dr. Cheah Uan Boh (Malaysia).
97. Dr. Cheah highlighted some key points in the discussion paper[27]: GEMS/Food Programme monitoring data had identified pesticide/commodity combinations by region, illustrating where MRLs had been exceeded; Codex MRLs were commonly used by developing countries as reference standards to facilitate trade and for domestic food safety purposes; and noting that limited resources and expertise in many developing countries were major factors hindering the generation of residue data and the establishment of national MRLs, it was suggested that regional cooperation might help address a number of these issues.
98. Responses[28] to the Questionnaire for Information on Pesticides in Current Use in Developing Countries[29] indicated that although pesticide registration schemes were established in all responding countries, systems for establishing MRLs and for generating residue data to support submission to the JMPR were at various stages of development. A number of commodity/pesticide combinations were identified for which Codex MRLs needed urgently to be established.
99. With minor amendments, the Committee endorsed the following recommendations of the Working Group:
1. International organizations and developing countries should be invited to consider cooperative programmes at the regional level for the generation of residue and GAP data to support the establishment of MRLs for commodities of importance in developing countries, including some of those combinations identified in CX/PR 97/16 Appendix 1 and CX/PR 97/17 Appendix 1, question 4a.100. The Committee noted that the 1997 JMPR would consider extrapolation specifically in relation to the recommendation 3 above. The Committee agreed that a Working Group should convene at its next Session under the chairship of Dr. Cheah.2. The CCPR should encourage the activities of developing countries in promoting regional cooperation as a means of addressing issues related to pesticide residues, food safety and trade facilitation, and consider ways in which these initiatives can be supported.
3. The JMPR should be requested to give particular consideration to the concerns of developing countries when elaborating criteria for extrapolating residue data for minor crops in the proposed revision of the FAO Manual on Submission and Evaluation of Residue Data with particular attention to the commodities identified in CX/PR 97/16 Appendix 1 and CX/PR 97/17 Appendix 1, question 4a.
4. Importing countries should be encouraged to make available information on pesticide residue-related trade problems, particularly with respect to minor crops in developing countries, and to provide this information to national authorities and/or the Codex Contact Point in the relevant exporting country.
5. Participating countries should be encouraged to provide updates on national/regional initiatives in resolving pesticide residue-related problems at Working Group meetings, in order to assist other members of the Group in addressing common problems with respect to food safety and trade facilitation.
6. The Questionnaire, with necessary amendments, should continue to be utilized as a useful tool for information collection.
7. An update paper should be prepared by Malaysia for consideration by the Plenary and the Working Group at the next Session. The paper should include the status of the implementation of the recommendations.
8. Attention should be paid to preventive measures to reduce residues, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM), availability of quality pesticides, and training in safe and efficient use as part of IPM. IPM should be taken into account when developing GAP information for JMPR.
